2014 SGFA Cup Final
The 2014 SGFA Cup Final was the 34th final of the SGFA Cup, the main domestic knockout cup competition in Gregorian football. The match was played on May 31, 2014 between FC Chapman and Port St. Christopher Pirates at the National Cricket Ground in Warner Bay. Build-up After a favorable draw in the first and second rounds against League C clubs Madison Island and Eastport Americans, Pirates upset League A club and former Cup finalists A.C. Calabria at Mill Park to reach the quarter-finals. There, they stunned Manorham in extra time to set up a semi-final date with Midland International at Barry Park, where two goals in the final five minutes by Desmond Coleman gave Pirates a 2-0 win and their first SGFA Cup Final berth. FC Chapman, meanwhile, had faced stiff opposition early; they faced League A rivals New Castle in the second round, requiring a goal by Kane O'Bray late in extra time to give the Golden Eagles a 3-2 win and passage to the next round. They defeated Helena Point Rangers in the third round before a heated local derby in the quarter finals away at Starrs County. They went on to defeat Independence in the semi-final at Triangle Bank Stadium, itself a rematch of Chapman's last appearance in the Final, in 2009. The final would see several unique storylines; Pirates became only the fifth team ever from outside League A to appear in the final, and the first since Bonneville Juniors in 2008. Chapman, meanwhile, had not been to the Final in five years, but with the 2013-14 League A title already secured, had a chance to repeat their double feat from 2008-09. In addition, former Chapman striker Lex Osborne had been lured out of a three-and-a-half year retirement by Pirates and was named in the lineup for the Final. Osborne had last played for Chapman in 2007 and the only former teammate still in the squad was captain Jason Beverley. Match summary FC Chapman manager Matthew Frame had stated before the match that his side would "hammer Pirates early and assert our authority" and the League A winners started the game with the ascendancy, but could not turn their early pressure into an opening goal. In the 27th minute, a quick counter attack by Pirates led to Coleman slipping in behind the defense and receiving the ball at the edge of the penalty area. His left-footed shot beat Chapman goalkeeper Sandro Stocklasa low and found the bottom corner to give the League B club a shock lead, much to the delight of the vocal Pirates contingent and the majority of the neutral fans. Chapman spent the rest of the first half and much of the second camped in the Pirates' third of the field, but could not break through the underdogs' resolute defense. With just over 12 minutes remaining, Chapman shifted formations, taking off defender Steven Ketchmark and replacing him with right winger Tanner Pfahl. The added size up front paid off just moments later when Pfahl was first to an aerial ball, nodding it down into the path of O'Bray, who fired home from a tight angle to level the scores. Just three minutes later, the Pirates defense cracked once more – and this time for good – as a series of short passes around the edge of the area led to Beverley playing Kaden Little in behind the defense, and the midfielder tucked the ball under Délé Cunningham in the Pirates goal to give Chapman a lead they would not relinquish. Several Pirates players collapsed on the field as referee Mark Dobbins blew the final whistle, with the result giving Chapman the third League and Cup double in their history, and tying Bonneville United for most SGFA Cup victories all-time with five. Match details Little |goals2 = Coleman |referee = Mark Dobbins|time = 15:00 AST}} Post-match Chapman completing the double meant that Pirates would become the first Gregorian team from outside League A to compete in the CONCACAF Champions League. Category:Match pages Category:FC Chapman matches Category:Port St. Christopher Pirates F.C. matches Category:2013-14 in Gregorian football